Allotment holders want to have sense of community

ALLOTMENT holders in Wargrave want to form an association to foster community spirit.

ALLOTMENT holders in Wargrave want to form an association to foster community spirit.

Nick Pritchard-Gordon, chairman of Wargrave Gardeners’ Club, announced the idea at the annual parish meeting.

Suggestions include sharing rotovators, helping pensioners who are struggling to maintain their plots and encouraging allotment holders to socialise more.

Mr Pritchard said: “There are around 40 allotment holders and the numbers are rising.

“One of the common comments made by people is about better communication between the holders as tenants and the parish council.

“People care more than about just their allotments, they are very active and do more than just their plots.

“There is a fantastic opportunity for collaboration — it is not another layer of bureaucracy.

“There are people willing to get stuck in and I would ask you to consider opening up better communication channels with the allotment holders.”

Allotment holder Peter Mayes said: “I feel that people with allotments may be able to give to you rather than taking.

“The allotment shed needs something doing to it but holders as a group need to be consulted as far as that is concerned because it is they who use it.

“The reasons for doing this is more socialising, helping each other and bringing people together.

“It is about the ‘Big Society’ idea and Wargrave is like that. This is about the community.” Parish council Richard Bush replied: “We are trying to change the way the committees are formed and run.

“We have put in place a new plan and the idea is that there will be a chance for other members to take a role.

“There is probably an area we can look at to make sure there is a representative for allotment holders.”

Councillor Marion Pope said: “It is a good idea to get together with the allotment holders.

“The problem is that people take them on and then do not bother to let me know when they give it up. I think it is bad manners and people do not realise that an allotment is not just for six months of the year.

“It is nice to get feedback from allotment holders and it would be nice to get a lot more people using them.

“We should get together — and we could use your expertise and muscle.”

More than 25 residents attended the meeting, which was held at Woodclyffe Hall.